Rita West cheers on her son Paden West , 4, and the rest of the Henderson football squad as they prepare to come out of the locker room to start the Colonels game against Evansville North at Colonel Field Friday night, August 29, 2008. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley â¢ 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

Kacey Crook, center, peeks around a line of HCHS varsity cheerleaders as they line up for the National Anthem at Henderson's first game of the season Friday night, August 29, 2008. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley â¢ 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

Evansville North's Drew Hawkins (83) is pulled down by Henderson's Chris Cole (28) during their football game at Colonel Field Friday night, August 29, 2008. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley â¢ 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

Henderson's Javaris Lewis (25) is brought down by a host of Evansville North players during their football game at Coloenl Field Friday night August 29, 2008. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley â¢ 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

Under pressure from North's second-half comeback attempt, Henderson County's defense came up with back-to-back defensive stops in the fourth quarter as the Colonels held on for a 21-17 win in Friday's season opener at Colonel Stadium.

With the Huskies threatening and down by four, the Colonels ended one threat as J.T. Henning recovered a North fumble at the Colonel 21.

Henderson County was in position to run out the clock, but North's Cameron Clements intercepted a Jeremiah Coursey jump pass at midfield and returned it to the Colonel 35. For the final 2:17 of the game, the Colonel defense was on edge.

Staying strictly in the air, North pushed the ball to the 10 in the final 1:00. The Colonel defensive secondary came up big, breaking up three pass attempts toward the end zone. After a second-down completion moved the ball to the 8, North had two final chances. Mitchell Gabe ended the Huskies' threat as he batted down Cameron Whitler's pass intended for James Gott on fourth down.

Coursey scored a pair of touchdowns on quarterback sneaks. Almondo Theus, who rushed for 176 yards, had the other TD on the game's first possession.

Henderson County needed just three plays, all runs by Theus, to score on its first possession. The senior running back broke one tackle and slipped to the outside for a 38-yard gain that set up the 7-yard scoring run on the next play.

North got on the board early in the second quarter on a 27-yard field goal by Preston Meador after three straight pass completions. It didn't take the Colonels long to answer as they went 87 yards in 11 plays, all on the ground. Theus turned in the key play of the drive, a 55-yard run. The Colonels converted a fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak from Coursey and repeated the play for the touchdown on third-and-goal from the 2. Coursey's plunge gave Henderson County the 14-3 lead.

North, which ran just six offensive plays in the second quarter, pushed the ball down to the 28, but Whitler overthrew his receiver on his second-down pass and was intercepted by Chris Cole.

North took advantage of a Colonel fumble at midfield for its first touchdown early in the third quarter. James Marion recovered the fumbled handoff exchange at the Colonel 46. An 11-yard pass from Whitler to Drew Hawkins cut the lead to 14-10.

Henderson County responded with a scoring drive sparked by a 21-yard pass from Coursey to Paden West, followed by 45-yard run by Kolby O'Daniel. Coursey's 1-yard sneak increased the lead to 21-10.

North answered with its second touchdown of the third quarter with a 78-yard drive that ended with Mitch Parker's 8-yard touchdown reception from Whitler.

Henderson County has an open date next week and will visit district foe Daviess County on Sept. 12 in the district opener.